Monday

West Main Artists Co-op is hosting a show featuring artists who create their work outdoors. The exhibit, "Art by Sight," will run Tuesday through July 27 in the Venue, the facility’s largest gallery.

The free showing can be seen from 10 a.m to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. The exhibit’s reception will be from 5 to 9 p.m. July 19, during the city’s monthly ArtWalk at the co-op, 578 W. Main St., Spartanburg.

All of the participating artists are part of an informal and less-than-one-year-old group of retired teachers who gather to paint in the classic French tradition of plein air, which by definition is work created on location and outdoors. The group is still in the formative stages and includes core members Jessica Barnes, Shannon Patrick, Doris Turner, AK McMillan, Cynthia Link, and Shelba Cook.

“Through my association with various Upstate artists, I had heard about this group of artists who were gathering to do plein air,” Dwight Rose, the co-op’s chair of Venue Exhibits, said in a statement. “I thought having them exhibit at West Main would be a good way to give them exposure and to bring in some of the community’s most respected artists who practice plein air."

Rose said in the statement most of the time artists work in their studios, but plein air artists work in the field, using natural light and often times dealing with a changing environment. He said the plein air artists have to work fast, and sometimes they come back to a location to finish the work.

Each of the six artists will provide at least seven paintings, most of which will be for sale, starting at $50.

“I like the immediacy of the process. Looking at the scape and responding to it in an immediate way,” Barnes said in the statement. “It is not overworked. It is much like our heroes paintings in the impressionist world.

“Our backgrounds are different in that some are potters, fabric designers and mixed media artists,” Barnes continued. “All of us have been art teachers. That alone shows that we have a streak of bravery in our makeup. Sometimes it is intimidating to sit and paint an almost finished work in public. The co-op is gracious to share its space with us. Between us, we have 351 years of experience in appreciation and of making art. The oldest member is a native of Spartanburg. The others came from Massachusetts, North Carolina and Georgia. We all enjoy painting.”

Turner said in the statement plein air artists have to look and find an interesting composition.

"The view and surroundings become yours," Turner said in the statement. "This position can be outside in the fresh air or inside. It can be comfortable, blazing hot or numbing cold. Being up close with the experience has its rewards. Perhaps the extremes or pleasantness will show and really make your art relevant, especially when you view your painting and relive the moment. Observers may get a feel or an identity with your expression.”

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